Evening Primrose Oil for Hair Loss – All You Need To Know

Hair loss has become common among people especially adults. This can affect the confidence and self esteem of a person. In some cases, hair loss can lead to anxiety and stress related disorders in people. The problem of hair loss can be dealt easily, if we take necessary steps. When it comes to treating your body, going natural is the best way.

In this article, we will be discussing about one such natural remedy for preventing hair loss: by taking Evening Primrose Oil or EPO.

Once you reach a particular age, hair loss is bound to happen and there is no way you can escape from that. It is assumed that at a normal rate a person loses about 50-100 hairs every day. Presence of bald patches and thin hair is an indication of hair loss. There are many ways through which we can limit hair loss. But in any remedial treatments, the first thing to understand is the real cause behind the problem. So let’s have a brief look on the major reasons why you are running out of hair!!

Causes of Hair Loss

Since there are different types of hair loss, finding the actual cause can be tricky at times. Hair loss due to breakage of hair shafts is different from hair loss due to reduced hair growth. There is a popular myth that hair loss occurs due to unhealthy diet, but it shouldn’t always be the reason. Sometimes this can happen due to the genetic makeup or because of aging process.

Usually people around the age of 30-40 will suffer from thinning of hair leading to breakage, this can be due to hormonal deficiencies, emotional stress or in some cases pregnancy and menopause can also lead to unpredictable hair loss. Apart from that thyroid disease and anemia is found to cause hair loss. It is completely normal for people with such diseases to loss hair as their treatment involves special methods which can cause thinning of hair. Yet another treatment that can contribute to hair loss is chemotherapy for treating cancer.

Another major reason for hair loss can be due to the over use of cosmetic products. The more artificial moisturisers or conditioners you use, the more damage it brings for the hair. They might give you the style and look, but in the long run they are not good for the health of hair.

Now that we understood what causes hair loss, let’s see how we can deal with them and probably stop hair breakouts. Of course there many methods both artificial and natural. But just as we mentioned before, for any treatments that concerns our body, it is always safe to follow natural methods.

Natural Remedies to Prevent Hair Loss

Nowadays more and more people are realizing the amazing effects that massaging can provide. As massaging helps in improved circulation of blood through scalp and eventually strengthens the hair roots. Apart from that massaging can make you feel relaxed and take you away from stress related issues, which is another cause for hair loss. So now that we know the benefits of massaging, the next step is to find the correct type of oil. There are different types of oil rich in herbal values which can be used alone for massaging. While there are other equally effective carrier oils which works well in combination with other oils. Some of the oils best suited for massaging are – Coconut Oil, Olive Oil, Avocado Oil, Evening Primrose Oil etc. All these oils have their own specialities and that makes them favorite among many people. Here we will discuss in detail on the impacts of evening primrose oil on hair.

• Must Read : The Complete Guide To Using Avocado Oil For Your Hair Growth

Evening Primrose Oil – Benefits and How to Use It

Extracted from the evening primrose plants found mainly in parts of North America and Europe, it got this name since the flowers of this plant usually opens up on evening. The plant is found to be rich in medicinal values, hence it was used for treating bruises, stomachaches and other injuries since years ago.

Evening Primrose oil has high quantity of fatty acid called GLA and it is their presence that contributes to the oil’s amazing healing feature. No other plant has such wonderful healing nature as evening primrose has. The presence of rich fatty acids in evening primrose helps to prevent the nails from cracking up. In addition to that they are also capable of nourishing the scalp thereby taking care of a variety of hair problems.

Health Benefits of Evening Primrose Oil

They are mainly used for the treatment of various sorts of skin conditions. Applying them can reduce the itchiness on skin caused by dermatitis and eczema. Apart from this, the rich content of GLA makes them a valuable a remedial treatment in healing. When consumed internally, our body will transform GLA into prostaglandins. They are in fact capable of regulating numerous body functions and inflammations.

It is assumed that an adequate supply of evening primrose oil can reduce the joint pain and swelling. The presence of GLA in evening primrose oil play an important role in preventing nerve damages in people especially suffering from diabetes. They can also be used for the treatment of acne, as they may reduce the problems that can occur due to pores getting clogged. They are also found to increase the blood flow thereby leaving face a fresh look.

Multiple sclerosis, a common nerve disorder that affects many people can be minimized by the use of evening primrose oil. The essential fatty acids present in the oil can reduce the inflammation associated with this nerve disorder. In this way, they are also found to be effective in the treatment of many memory related disorders including Alzheimer’s .

The abundance of good fatty acids in evening primrose oil is also found to be powerful in preventing cracking of nails and thereby keeping them healthy. They are capable of nourishing the scalp, hence can be used in the treatment of a variety of hair problems. In this article we will be dealing in detail on how evening primrose oil prevents hair loss.

How It Prevents Hair Loss?

Many people who have used evening primrose oil has enjoyed the benefits of this nutrient rich oil by not only preventing hair loss but also gaining considerable amount of hair growth. The nutrients present in the oil is found to be great stimulants for hair growth. It is the presence of GLA(Gamma Linolenic Acid) that is found to be the reason behind it’s property of preventing hair loss. GLA is considered as one of the essential fatty acid which is necessary for the maintaining health development and growth. Even though over use of GLA can be harmful and lead to inflammations. The interesting fact about GLA is that they can be accessed only by means of diet or supplements.

It is assumed that for positive results, they need to be applied on the hair in a routine basis. A minimum of 2 months of use is highly recommended. Though considered as a safe bet, evening primrose oil does show some side effects like headache or stomachache in some people. But these situations have usually happened when the oil is consumed in high dose. For people suffering from hair loss, multiple vitamins is what they need most and evening primrose oil can provide them this. For instance, if a women is losing more hair compared to their counterparts – men, it can be due to the exaggerated conversion of testosterone to dihydrotestosterone at the hair follicle. Evening primrose oil is more than capable enough to act as an inhibitor for this conversion. So it’s like anybody with hair loss problems, evening primrose oil can be a good remedial measure.

Now that we understood the properties behind evening primrose oil that makes them effective in preventing hair loss, let’s learn how to make the best use of their amazing benefits.

How To Use Evening Primrose Oil?

Evening Primrose oil is capable of penetrating deep into the layers of hair and work their way up from the hair roots. But care must be taken before applying them. Follow these simple steps to make sure you have a great experience trying evening primrose oil.

• The best and simplest method is to apply the oil directly into the scalp.
• Make sure you do this in a routine basis for at least a week.
• Once you apply the oil, wait for a specific period of time so that the oil will penetrate deep.
• Yet another effective method is usage of evening primrose oil in the form of capsules or pills.
• Now even if you miss 1 dose of evening primrose oil for a couple of days, there is nothing to worry as you can continue the intake of oil at optimum quantity.

They are also found to be effective in dealing with dandruff’s and other related bacterial and fungal infections.

The ideal dosage is around 500 mg twice a day. Hormonal imbalances can be prevented to a large extend by the consumption of primrose oil. The most important thing is to be patient and stay calm, as results might not show up quickly. It will definitely take some time.

Side Effects of Evening Primrose Oil

When compared to massive benefits of evening primrose oil, the side effects are minimal. Till now only minor side effects has been reported by people. Most of them being headache, stomachache, nausea etc. Even then optimum usage of oil will not lead to any sort of side effects. It is the consumption of overdose, that causes many problems like uterine contractions and hence not advised for pregnant women. Apart from that people suffering from blood related disorders are also not recommended to use evening primrose oil.

Primrose Oil may increase the danger of excessive bleeding among people who take anticoagulants (aimed at reducing the ability of the blood to clot). They may also lead to the danger of seizures as well as nausea and vomiting in many people.

Yet another major side effect of evening primrose oil is that at extreme cases they can lead to rapid growth of nails. The presence of fatty acids is what prevents the nails from breaking out thereby aiding the growth of nails at quick rate.

Unlike all other herbal oils, evening primrose oil is not approved by FDA since it is considered as a herb dietary supplement and not like drugs. Hence before releasing them in the market , they are not made to undergo stringent tests. So care must be taken prior to using them for personal needs.

Impacts of Evening Primrose Oil on Hair

Apart from stopping hair loss, they are also capable of improving the overall texture and quality of hair. Some of them are :

1) Hair Texture

The presence of GLA and fatty acids prevents the hair from becoming excessively dry, particularly near hair shaft. Through this way hair texture is improved to a large extent.

2) Hair Brittleness

Adding evening primrose oil to your dietary supplement may improve the softness of hair by reducing the brittleness. So for people with dry hair, it is highly recommended to use evening primrose oil since they can improve the quality and texture of hair.

3) Nourishment

Hair growth depends upon the nutrient contents supplied to it. If proper nourishing is not done, hair may not be able to grow strong and beautiful. The presence of omega 6 fatty acids is what helps the hair to grow faster. They are also capable of maintaining the moisture level in hair.

4) Hair Strengthening

They are found to be so effective in preventing hair breakage, because applying oil directly into the scalp helps to improve the strength of hair. They are also capable of dealing with issues like hair thinning that happens mainly to pregnant women during menopause or people struggling with disease conditions like hypothyroidism.

3 Popular Evening Primrose Oils, According to Reviews and Rating :

• NOW Foods Evening Primrose Oil 500 mg, 250 Softgels
• Source Naturals Evening Primrose Oil 500 mg, 90 Softgels
• Real Herbs Evening Primrose Oil 500 mg Supplement, 60 Softgels

Conclusion

In summary, Evening primrose oil is one of the easiest and effective ways to deal hair loss. If you take medication for blood related disorders, it is advised to consult a physician before using it. As overdose of evening primrose oil can lead to various sorts of side effects.

So what are you waiting for? Try out evening primrose oil and enjoy the amazing benefits.

Hope you have enjoyed reading our article. However, we would love to hear your suggestions and feedback on your experience with evening primrose oil. For more information or queries please feel free to contact us through the comment section.